Refrigerator-latch.



- H C. LEONARD & A. F, WINTERS.

REFRIGE ATOR LATCH.

APPJCRTION FILED DECJ, 1915.

l figfifim Patented June 11, 1918.

E 4/2: H 4 7 g l man snares rnnnnr onnron HARRY C. LEONARD AND ALEXANDER F. WINTERS, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOFS T0 GRAND RAPIDS REFRIGERATOR OUMIPANF, 0F til-RAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, 1A CQRFOM'IION OF MICHIGAN. l

REFRIGERATQEt-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June ill, libido Application filed December 1, 1915. $eria11t'o.tt-,5G2.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY C. LEONARD and ALEXAN ER F. Wrn'rnns, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of h lichigan have invented certain new and and useful lmprovements in Refrigerator Latches; and we do hereby declare the tollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a latch especially adapted for use on refrigerators to hold the doors thereof in tightly closed position though it is to be understood that the latch may be used with any other kind of door. it is the object and purpose of the invention to provide a latch of this character which operates to hold a'door in tightly closed position yet which at the same time is very easily operated in opening the door and which is also easily and automatically operated upon the closing oi the door to engage therewith and hold it in closed position. Further objects and purposes consist in the provision of many novel details of construction and operation for the production of the latch with the functions enumerated together with others not specifically set forth as will appear upon understanding of the construction which embodies the invention, disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure l is a front elevation of a latch showing its application to a refrigerator, a fragmentary portion only of the casing and door of the refrigerator being shown.

Fig. 2 is a sectional and side elevation taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken lengthwise of the latch member which is attached to the casing showing said member in the position that it occupies when the door is open; and 0 Fig. 4: is an end view of the base forming one element of the latch; and

. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a tragmentary portion of the device illustrating a modification in structure.

- Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

The door of a refrigerator is indicated at l and the casing therefor at 2.. Upon the door and'adjacent its edge which engages with the casing when the door is closed is situated a handle member 3 having an entension arm l at its upper end which proects across thehmeeting edges of the door and casing and a distance over the casing.

l his handle member is attached to the door by use of any permanent securing means such as screws or the hire and is used in the opening and closing of the door,

The latch member used in conjunction with the handle and attached to the casing includes a base 5 or sheet metal the edges of which are turned to FOEIH spaced apart l1 projecting from its upper end spaced.

a distance from which is an overhanging hook 12. in the slot 13 between the finger and hook the arm a of the handle is adapted to seat From its lower end an operat ing handle 14 projects terminating in a thumb piece 15. @n the inner side of the member 9 two projections l? and 18 are formed, these projections serving to limit the pivotal movement of the movable latch member through a stop 19 which is struclr from the base 5 and interposed between these projections.

Adjacent its upper end a lug 20 is struck from the base 5 substantially at right angles thereto having an elongated slot 21 formed therein through which projects one end of a bar 22 which at its opposite end is secured to a U-shaped member 23, the legs of which pass one at either side of the projection l? and are pivotally connected thereto by the pivot pin 24:. Adjacent the lug 20 a rocker 25 is located, the bar 22 passing therethrough and a stron coil compression spring 26 is interposed between this rocker and the U-shaped member 23.

In practice the latch member thus described is attached to the casing and its Oil ltd

Iti

mechanism is covered by any suitable housing which, as it forms no part of the present invention is not shown in this application. The housing may be slotted to permit the entrance of the arm 4. When the door is open the parts of the latch member occupy the position shown in 2. Ilpon closing the door the arm t engages against the in-- clined side of the finger l1 and turns the latch member 9 about its pivot. This turning movement is resisted by the spring 26 until such time as the line of force thereof comes below the center of the pivot pin 10 after which the spring tends to rotate the latch member into the position shown in Fig. 2 with the hook 12 grasping the arm. 4; in this manner serving to close the door and hold it tightly closed. When the door is to be opened handle 3 is grasped by the fingers of the hand and the latch member operated by the pressure of the thumb against the thumb piece 15. The coil spring again resists the turning movement of .the latch member 9 until such time as its line of force shall have passed above the center of the pivot pin 10 upon which the latch member is rotated until projection 18 engages against the stop 19. The efiect of the latter part of the movement of the latch member is to throw the door open as will be readily understood.

A latch of the construction defined is of simple and easy manufacture and contains no parts that are liable to get out of order. This is an important consideration in latches as the breakage of a part and especially of an operating spring renders the latch entirely useless. Furthermore, by reason of the comparatively long engagement of the arm 4 with the inclined side of the finger 11 the force which is back of and impellin g the arm 4-, as it acts through a comparatively long space, does not need to be large to overcome the force of the coil spring 26 which operates through a comparatively short dis-- tance. Also by reason of the fact that after the latch member has occupied the position shown in Fig. 2 the moment arm of the spring is comparatively long, the resistance to the opening of the latch is greatest when the door is closed and consequently the greatest force is exerted to keep the door closed and prevent the entrance of warm air into the refrigerator.

In Fig. 5 a modification in detail of the connection between the bar 22 and the pivoted latch member 9 is illustrated. This is a preferred construction in that the device is much more quickly and easily assembled and all of the parts may be made from simple stampings. In Fig. 5 a bar 22 similar in nearly all respects to the bar 22 heretofore described has the end adjacent the latch member formed into a fork 27, the

sides of which pass to either side of the thereof in which the fork seats. This con struction does away with the thshaped member 23 and the pi ot 24: and the extra erpiense of manufacturing and assembling t 1cm.

Changes in minor detail of construction may be resorted to without departing from the invention which is defined in the appended claims. Accordingly all modifications in structure which fall within the scope of said claims are .to be considered as comprehended by the invention.

1. A latch including a base, ears entending outwardly from the base, a latch mem-' ber pivotally mounted between the ears, spaced apart projections on the latch member adjacent the base, a stop on the base between said projections, a slotted lug projecting from the base a. distance from the stop, a bar having pivotal engagement at one end with the latch member adjacent one projection and at its other end extending through the slot of the lug, a rocker member on the bar bearing against the lug, and

a spring around the bar between the latch member and the rocker member.

2. A latch member including a base formed of a plate of metal having ears turned therefrom at each side edge of the plate, a latch member pivotally mounted between the ears, a lug turned from the base adjacent one end thereof, a stop lug struck from the base below the latch member, two spaced apart projections on the latch member adapted to strike againstthe last lug to Mill limit the movement of the latch member, a

bar having pivotal engagement at one end with one of said projections and extending through the first lug at the other end, and a spring around the bar between said lug and the latch member. I

3. In a latch, the combination of a pair of fixed supports, an arm pivoted to swing on a fixed axis on one support, a coil spring between the other fiXed support and the arm and thrusting against the latter and also moving with the latter from one side to the other of the dead center thrust line, a jaw on the said arm. arranged at all times to be on the side of the pivot toward the spring and provided with an outer jaw piece and an inner jaw piece, and a striker in the form of a pin arranged to travel in a plane approximately perpendicular to the plane in which the arm swings and substantially perpendicular to the said dead center thrust line, the said striker striking the inside jaw piece at the outside of the dead center line and being trapped by the inside of the outside jaw piece as the arm passes the dead center thrust line.

4:. In a latch, the combination of a pair of insane? mately perpendicular to the plane in which the toggle arms swing and substantially perpendicular to their dead center line, the said striker striking the inside jaw piece on the inside of the dead center line and being trapped by the inside of the outside jaw piece as the arms pass inside of thedead center line.

5. in a' latch, the combination of a support, an arm pivoted to swing on afixed axis on said support, a spring thrusting against said arm so that at one point in the swing" ing arc of the arm the spring exerts a dead center thrust on the arm and at either side of said point the spring forces the arm in opposite directions, a jaw on the said arm at all times on the side of the pivot toward the spring, the said jaw being provided with an inside jaw piece and an outside aw piece, and a striker in the form of a pin arranged to travel in a plane approximately perpendicular to the plane in which the said arm swings and substantially perpendicular to the dead center thrust line of the spring I upon the said arm, the said striker striking the inside jaw piece at the outside oi? the dead center thrust line and being trapped by the inside of the outside jaw piece as the arm passes the dead center thrust line in wardly.

6. In a latch, the combination of a pair of fixed supports, one toggle arm supported on a pivot having a fixed axis on one support, a second toggle arm supported to slide and pivot on the other support, said toggle arms meeting at their inner ends, a coil spring about the sliding or second toggle arm arranged to thrust the same longitudinally against the first toggle 'arm, a jaw on the first toggle arm provided with an outer jaw piece and with an inner jaw piece, and a striker in the form of a pin arranged to travel in a plane approximately perpendicular to the plane in which the to gle arms swing and substantially perpen icular to their dead center line, the said striker striking the inside jaw piece on the outside of the dead center line and being trapped by the inside of the outside jaw piece as the arms pass to the inside of the dead center line.

'7. lln a latch, the combination of a :pair of fixed supports, a pair of engaging toggle arms pivoted on the fixed supports to allow spreading, a spring engaging between one support and one toggle arm to give the latter a longitudinal thrust, a jaw on one tog gle arm arranged to be at all times between dead center thrust line and being trapped by v the inside of the outside jaw piece as the toggle arms pass to the inside of the dead center line.

8. in a latch, the combination or" two fixed supports, a toggle arm rotatably supported by one support to pivot on a fixed axis and 7 provided with a jaw having an outer jaw piece and an inner jaw piece, second toggle arm loosely and slidingly supported on the other support and meeting the first toggle arm in toggle engagement at the inside of the inside jaw piece, a spring bearing against the second support coiled about the second toggle arm and engaging a shoulder thereon to thrust the second toggle arm longitudinally against the first toggle arm, and a striker arranged to travel transversely of the toggle arm and strike the jaw piece oi the first toggle arm, driving the toggle arms by dead center whereupon the striker is caught by the outer jaw piece.

9. A latch, having in combination, a pair of toggle arms maintained in toggle relation, a keeper on one of said arms, means for yieldingly resisting the arms passing their dead center line, a thumb lever secured to one of the toggle arms, a striker which may be caught and held by said keeper when the to le arms pass the dead center line inwardly, and a handle attached to the striker which can be'used with the thumb lever to disengage the striker.

10. A latch, having in combination, a latch arm provided with a hook and pivotally mounted, means for giving said latch arm a yielding thrust and tending to keep arm to one side or the other of the dead center thrust line, a thumb lever supported by the member upon which the latch is supported of toggle arms one ot which is provided with 1 a hook, means for tending to prevent the toggle arms passin their dead center, a thumb lever for thrusting the said toggle arms by the dead center, a striker arranged to be caught by the hook, and a handle carried on when the member to which the striker is attzrcheol and; operable in connection with the thumb lever with one hand by pushing in on the thumb lever and pulling out on said handle.

1 A latch, herring in combination, u hitch arm provided With it hook and pivotully mounted, menus for tending to keep the luteh arm on one sicle or the other of cleitel eenter thrust line, a, thumb lever eecillutinglu supported on the member to "which the latch arm is secured, the suiol thumh lever herring connection With the latch arm so as to thrust the latch arm outward When the thumb le ier is thrust inward, 2r striker, and it hunclle *zrrrieol on the member to Which the striker is attached and operable in conjunction With the thumb lever by placing the thumb on the thumb lever and pressing in and pulling out- Wercl on the handle with the remainder of the hand. 1

lln testimony whereof We affix our signetures HARRY C, LEQNARD,

WINTERS, 

